Medical device companies including Cardinal Health and Henry Schein were among the firms awarded contracts and extensions worth nearly $84 million by the U.S. Defense Dept. today. The U.S. Defense Dept. issued $83.9 million worth of contracts to 4 medical device companies, according to the agency's daily press release. Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) was the biggest recipient, with the government exercising a 4th-year contract option with the Illinois-based company, for more than $40 million. The contract is for "various medical and surgical products."